Nothing Personal: Disturbing Undercurrents in Cancer Care

PATIENT NARRATIVES SERIES WINNER - MEDICAL JOURNALISTS’ ASSOCIATION OPEN BOOK AWARD ‘Today’s patients continue to raise the same issues but clinicians are now being encouraged to get in touch with their own feelings so perhaps my story will be useful in helping them acknowledge the emotional and psychological disturbances that can affect both patient and doctor.’ Mitzi Blennerhassett in her Introduction ‘This is a remarkable book. It is the story of just one person but it is repeated time and time again by many all over the world. She has a complex but potentially curable cancer from the outset - one that requires a surgical intervention radiotherapy and chemotherapy to treat optimally. So Mitzi experiences everything. With a young and very active family to look after she has a lot to live for so how she deals with uncertainty is fascinating. The disruption to her life by the cancer and its treatment is massive and to add to it all she is going through a marital breakdown at the same time. I feel it’s an incredible privilege to be allowed to follow her journey so closely. 'This is essential reading for all who deal with cancer patients - health professionals politicians health service developers carers and of course patients themselves. It clearly gives us a distillation of what cancer patients want. We need to create a new network of modern cancer centres where the latest technology in radiotherapy and chemotherapy is seamlessly delivered in a comfortable welcoming environment. Novel information technology can be used to link the centres so every patient will be monitored to get the best possible treatment.’ Karol Sikora in his Foreword For more information on other titles in this series please click here